The Tree House

Children played all day...

During the summertime all the children I grew up with came outside after breakfast to play all day. There was no TV and besides our moms didn’t want us ‘underfoot’ while they did their cleaning chores. The kids played by themselves very well knowing some mom was always watching after us.

Did the little boys build tree houses or club houses while you were growing up?

During the early 1950's...

We worked hard on that ole tree house and I guess it took us just about all summer to finish it. Me and my pals needed ourselves a private meeting place where the young ladies in the community could not gain easy access if you know what I mean. The guys had a hard time planning just about anything without interference and interruption from the neighborhood ‘pigtail’ society, but that all changed once we completed our ‘above ground’ clubhouse. The boards we used to build it came from scrap left over from building projects anywhere in the community and each of us boys secured tools from our dad’s work bench while the plans came from right off the top of our heads as we hammered and sawed most enthusiastically that summer of 1952.

No girls allowed...

That old Blackheart Cherry Tree between my friend Vincent’s property and their neighbors the Roberts was just right the way the limbs forked just about ten or twelve feet off the ground. It was still quite a task though trying to get the supplies needed up in that old cherry tree. Vince supplied that old rope we used to pull everything we needed up into that old tree. His dad had used that same rope last year to pull that car out of the ditch after it slid off the road. I believe it was his dad’s saw we used also to cut the boards to the right length for the flooring and the walls after my older brother Jack showed us how to anchor the support timbers. We even rigged ourselves an alarm to notify us if an intruder or girl tried to creep up on us and learn our business.We felt we had thought of everything.

an old treehouse

Girls - Ughh!

All us guys would meet up and climb up into that old tree house and discuss ways to ward off evil and share secret code words and such.It was an all-male society, no pig-tails and no giggles allowed and we posted a sign at the base of the tree stating such. We took our man-hood seriously and swore to never even speak to silly girls, not even our sisters and were as serious as all other boys around the age of ten and under could be. Now, moms were different and we could speak to them because it was needful to find out what was for supper and important stuff like that.

Even little boys grow up...

Years later, after college I glanced over at that old tree house that was such a hugh part of my life as a youngster. I noticed that some of the old boards had fallen down but much of it was still up in that old tree and then later, after I had completed my military service and had started a family of my own I again ambered over under that old tree once more and looking up one last time remembered some of the good times my childhood friends and I had enjoyed building that old club house that summer. The mashed fingers and the ripped shins all seemed worth it somehow and the silly chide remarks against the opposite sex who eventually all matured into beautiful young women and some even became mothers of more silly little boys just like we used to be.

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Sam 6 years agofrom Tennessee

*thanks lifegate for stopping by. We kids seemed to have a different mind-set back then than the kids do today. Maybe it has to do with the economy or something. I like to reminisce about 'back then'- I sorta escape the 'here & now'...

*and thank you Sinea Pies also for stopping by and sharing your kind words. Yes, I feel this generation is missing so much by not observing what it was like to exist on what we had back then, a simpler & slower lifestyle...

Sinea Pies 6 years agofrom Northeastern United States

Love the little Rascals "woman hater's club". They always got so flustered when a girl did come by! Cute.

William Kovacic 6 years agofrom Pleasant Gap, PA

I remember the old tree house. It seemed that's where I'd spend most of the summer.Sometimes with friends, sometimes just me, but I know where you're coming from. Thanks for hitting the nerve.

Author

Sam 6 years agofrom Tennessee

*thank you bluebird for your kindness and for sharing your time with us. I think everyone enjoyed Our Gang and could relate if you were of that period of time. Blessings to you...

*and thank you Will for sharing your reminisce. I think we could do most anything as kids back then...

WillStarr 6 years agofrom Phoenix, Arizona

As kids in the South Carolina piney woods, my cousin and I built a tree house using three, adjacent pine trees for support. It was still there when we moved back to Iowa.

bluebird 6 years ago

I enjoyed this very much, being a mother of three boys who are now grown up too. The memories are precious, there are so many cute and funny ones. Thanks for the Our Gang video, we always enjoyed that, and also the movie Dennis the Menace with Walter Matthau as Mr. Wilson. Priceless! I will be sure to check out your list at the bottom. Thanks!